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James Sparkman & Nancy Segar

This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!This is the research of Ken Sparkman of his ancestors.

This James Sparkman married Nancy Segur or Segar daughter of Christopher Segur or Segar of Bertie County and his wife Ann Hunt.

Children of James Sparkman and Nancy Segur/Segar are:
1. Thomas Sparkman 1755/62 Hertford Co NC – 13 Mar 1808 Edgecombe Co NC
married in Bertie or Hertford Co bef 1784 Winnifred Tayloe/r
2. William Sparkman 9 Feb 1764 Hertford Co – 15 March 1832 Williamson Co TN
married Hertford Co NC 3 Dec 1769 Rosannah Williams
3. Jesse C. Sparkman 1764/ /70 Hertford Co NC – aft 7 June 1845 Williamson Co TN
married in Hertford, Beaufort or Martin Co bef 1790 Milley unknown
4. Elizabeth Sparkman 1755/75 Hertford Co NC – aft. 1820 Greene Co NC dsp?
It is difficult at this point to determine how Elizabeth is linked to this family, only that she is. She may be the 26 – 45 year old female in the Greene Co., North Carolina, household of James Sparkman Jr. in 1800. She appears with James Sparkman Jr. on a Greene Co. tax list in 1816 with 17 acres. In 1820, over the age of 45, she has her own household in Greene Co. and included are the widow and orphaned daughter of James Sparkman Jr. Is she an unmarried daughter or perhaps James Sr.’s second wife and widow, the mother of James and Sarah?
5. James Sparkman, Jr 1770 /74 Hertford Co NC – 1816/20 Greene Co NC
married Greene or Wayne Co NC bef 1810 Nancy unknown
James Sparkman Jr. may have first appeared of public record as a witness to brother William Sparkman’s 1792 deed for Martin Co., North Carolina, lands. In 1800, he is found with brother Jesse Sparkman in Greene Co., North Carolina, over the age of 26 with a female 26-45 in his household. On February 25, 1808, he witnesses the will of his brother Thomas Sparkman. In 1810, he is found in Wayne Co., North Carolina, aged 26- 45 and a female of the same age range in his household, and also that year he is a buyer at the estate sale of Zachariah Morris in Wayne Co. He is listed on a Greene Co., North Carolina, tax list in 1816 with 50 acres. In 1820, his widow and orphaned daughter are living with Elizabeth Sparkman in Greene Co., and his widow, Nancy, is found in the 1830 Greene Co. census born 1770 – 1780 with her daughter born 1800-1810.
6. unknown daughter Sparkman 1766/77 Hertford Co NC – aft 1800 Hertford Co NC
married Hertford Co NC James (?) Godwin,may have been the parents of John Sparkman Godwin.7. ?unknown daughter Sparkman 1766/77 Hertford Co NC – aft 1800 Pitt Co NC
married unknown Bowen
8. Sarah A [Sallie] Sparkman 26 July 1776 Hertford Co NC – 8 Feb1866 Maury Co TN
married Hertford Co 1790/1800 George Winn Godwin

State Records of North Carolina, Vol. 22, Pg. 354.Pasquotank Co., 1755 Robert Murden, Colonel Pasquotank 7 October, 1755 Sir: I herein have enclosed the list of the whole Regiment under My Command as Near to your Excellency’s orders as I could, and have since My arrival from the West Indies taken as Great Cear and Diligence to have them well Disciplined and to see that they be in Good order as I well could; and ever shall be Careful to Do the same while I Continue in that station etc.
Your Humble and Obidiant Servant, Robert Murden

The following from BERTIE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY COURT MINUTES 1740 thru 1743: 1758 thru 1762, book II, by Weynette Parks Haun

56 448-230
August 16th, 1758. JAMES SPARKMAN Records his mark Vizt: A crop in the Right Ear, and a Swallow fork in the Left Ear. Copy Given.

57 450 Deed of Sale from JOHN BROWN to JOSEPH MOOR was proved by the Oath of JAMES SPARKMAN &c.

62 466 [NO DATE-HOWEVER DEEDS ABOVE ARE DATED 1759] A Deed of sale from THOMAS SPARKMAN to JAMES SPARKMAN was Proved by the Oath of JOHN BROWN &c.
Deed of sale from CHRISTOPHER SEGUR to JAMES SPARKMAN was Proved by oath of JOHN BROWN
Deed of Sale from THOMAS SPARKMAN to JOHN BROWN was Proved by Oath of JAMES SPARKMAN A Deed of sale from CHRISTOPHER SEGUR to JOHN BROWN was Proved by the oath JAMES SPARKMAN.

THE DEEDS OF BERTIE CO NC 1757-1772, BOOK #1, abstracted by Dr. Stephen E. Bradley, Jr.
DEED BOOK I

164-(273) Deposition of ALEXANDER COTTEN, age 48, of Bertie Co. He statd that ROBERT WARRIN is heir to WILLIAM WARRIN dec’d of sd county & in possession of land joining Wiccacon Creek, Horse Swamp, JAMES HARRIS, JAMES SPARKMAN, & JOHN EARLY; that sd WILLIAM WARRIN owned the land uninterrupted for 20 years before he died. Apr Ct 1759 CC: BENJN WYNNS

165-(274) Deposition of BENJAMIN WYNNS, age 43, of Bertie Co. He stated that ROBERT WARRIN is heir to WILLIAM WARRIN dec’d of sd county & in possession of land joining Wiccacon Creek, Horse Swamp, JAMES HARRIS, JAMES SPARKMAN, & JOHN EARLY ; that sd WILLIAM WARRIN possessed the land 20 years before he died. Apr Ct 1759. Ordered to be registered. CC: BENJN. WYNNS

More About James Sparkman, Sr.:
Tax List and First Public Records: Chowan (Gates) County, North Carolina, 1753 and 1754
Military: Pasquotank County, North Carolina, militia, November 25, 1754, in captaincy including present-day Gates County, North Carolina, under Capt. Charles King with brothers Thomas, John and William.

Relocated Bet. 1755-1757 to Bertie (Hertford) County, North Carolina, with brother William upon lands purchased by his brother Thomas in 1754; William returns to Chowan (Gates) County, North Carolina, in 1758.

Tax List: Bertie (Hertford) County, North Carolina, 1757 and 1758

Listed as “of Bertie”, signer together with brothers John, Thomas and William “of Chowan” of petition to form Hertford County in 1759; not listed with brothers John, Thomas and William on petition to form Gates County in 1758.

Last Public Record: 1784 Hertford Co., North Carolina Tax List(?) A James Sparkman, however, witnessed the deed (probably executed in Hertford Co. by Abraham Rhodes) of Martin County, NC, lands to James’ son William Sparkman in 1792. Is this James Sr. or Jr.?

C/439 Abraham Rhoads (Hertford) to William Sparkman. 31 Jan 1791. 70 pounds, 260 acres beginning Bennett’s corner on southwest side of Smithwick Creek thence along Haysse’s Swamp to Thomas Holladay’s corner thence Woolard’s line to Carray’s line and various courses to the beginning. Abraham Rhoads (seal). Wit: James Sparkman.

I wanted to make you aware of some recent potential clues of interest as to the ancestry of Nancy, the wife of James Sparkman of Hertford Co., which may well be relevant to lineage of his children Thomas Sparkman d. 1809 Edgecombe, William Sparkman 1764-1832 Williamson Co., Sarah Sparkman Godwin of Williamson Co., and possibly Jesse Sparkman of Williamson Co., TN or wife Milly and an unknown Sparkman who married into the Godwin family, as well as the descendants of James Overton Jr. of Hertford Co.
The key figure is Christopher Segar.

If John Segar is the son of Katherine or another Clay, judging from Christopher’s 1726 household, he would have had to been born 1726-1727, about the year that Thomas Clay was in Christopher’s household, as Christopher is said to have married Ann Hunt 10-Mar-1728/9 .

While his will has been lost with the loss of Hertford records, there remains a record of the report of the administrators of his estate in April, 1767, to the Secretary of State, namely, James Sparkman and James Overton, the latter of whom clearly from later Hertford tax rolls appears to have been the father of Christopher Overton d. 1819, Bertie Co., NC.
One of three known abstracts of this record identifies the decadent as Christopher “Leget”, and some researchers of Hertford families have assumed that “Segar” was a misabstract of Leggett, but no Christopher is found in the Leggett family of this era, while numerous records suggest the presence of a Christopher Segar.
In addition to the administration of his estate by James Sparkman, fortunately, prior to the formation of Hertford, Christopher Segar appears to gift land from his holdings to James Sparkman and John Brown, thus suggesting his relationship to their wives Nancy and Abigail, respectively.

The above deeds of gift by Christopher Segar to James Sparkman and John Brown of lands Christopher had purchased for value, and administration of the estate of Christopher Segar by James Sparkman and James Overton, father of Christopher Overton, suggest that Christopher Segar was the father of Abigail Brown, Nancy Sparkman and unknown Overton.
Abigail Segar may be named for Ann Hunt Segar’s closest sister in age, Abigail Hunt.

Bertie Bk. F, pg. 75 Abraham Brawler to Christopher Segar, blacksmith,
3/14/1739, 70 pounds for 195 a. on westside of Holly Swamp at Northern Branch of William Creek at mouth of Reedy Branch at dividing line between said land and William Warrens land adj. Godwins Land, Isaac Brawles at Flatt Swamp.
Wit: John Wynns, jurat, William Sparkman. May Ct., 1740.

Christopher Segar can be documented as having located in present day Hertford between 1729 and 1732: State Records of NC Vol. 22, pg. 243:
Quit Rents of Bertie Precinct, Albemarle Co. from 9/29/1729 to 3/1732, computed 6/12/1735 (strange record, as Albemarle went defunct in 1689) Seger, Christopher (in part) 200a. 3 pounds

What appears to be son John Segar acquires land in the same neighborhood commencing 1754: Bertie Bk. H, pg. 116. Paul Pender to John Segar. July 31, 1754. 320a on southwest side of Flat Swamp, adj. Gillstrap Williams.
Wit: J. Early, Gillstrap Williams. August Court 1754.Samuel Ornes cc.

John Segar is subsequently found in Wake Co., NC, as late as 1790, but evidently did immediately relocate there after his sale of the above-referenced property. The record goes dark on John in Hertford at this point only because Hertford is formed in such year, but his name does appear on a subsequent Hertford land grant.

#419A. Jesse Byrd plat 3/31/1761, 671 a. in Hertford Co. in Heart’s Delight Picosin; joining Nathaniel Nicolas, William Driver, Turkey Swamp, David Horton, Peter West, a Branch, the mouth and side of western Branch of the Turkey Swamp and Bryd’s own line. cc; John Seguar, James Early. John Baker, Suvr.

It is interesting to note the Christopher Segar who appears on the lists of tithables for Northampton Co. on Virginia’s eastern shore from 1720 through 1729, as follows:
1720 and 1721, Christopher Segar(Segor) a tithable in the household of Mathew Harmanson, together with negroes Daniel and Moll.
1722. Christopher Segar 2, with Peter Cunrak in household.
1723. Christopher Segar 1.
1724. Christopher Segar 2, with Joseph dod in household.
1725. Christopher Segar 3 with Joseph dod, negro William.
1726. Christopher Segar Planter with Joseph Tod in household and John Tiler, a boy between 10-16 (with the additional column notation for total boys, 1).
1727. Christopher Segar and “Boy Planter” Thomas Clay.
1728. Christefer Segar.
1729. Christopher Segar 2, with Peter Butler in household.

These tax roles from Northampton Co.,
VA, Tithables 1720-1769 are not indexed, but a name by name search does not reflect Christopher in 1730, 1731, (1732 missing),

1733, (1734 missing), 1735, 1737 or 1738.

A clue to a connection to the Christopher Segar of Hertford is found in the 1737 will of John Clay in Northampton Co.:
Clay, John (x). 4 Sept. 1737/11 Oct. 1737.
– To my brother Isaah.
– To brother Leverit all my wearing [clothes] in Virginia.
– To brother Thomas [the boy planter in Segar’s 1727 household] all my wearing clothes in Carolina and the 3 pound, 7 sh., 6 p. which he owes me.
– To my mother Elizabeth Warriner six pounds, 5 sh.
– All the rest of my estate in Virginia to be eq. div. by my brothers Benjamin, Benony and Peter and my sister Betty Clay.
– To John Segar, 15 pounds, 17 sh., 6 p.
– To my brother Thomas 3 pounds, 15 sh. in the hands of George Harnage.
– My mother extrx.
Witt: John Pigot, John (x) Williams, Thomas (x) Spady.
Pg. 229, XXVI-R No. 18.

Probate: the witness John Pigot claimed to have written the will and said it was the testator’s intention to mention that John Segar who was devised the 15 pounds, 17 sh.,6 p. was the son of Christopher Seager, the money being held by said Christopher in Carolina money.
Does the legacy to a minor John Segar in a will where all other heirs are the decadent’s mother and siblings suggest that Christopher’s first wife was a Clay?
Interesting in this regard in a county where no other Segars appear on the tax rolls during this period is the will of Joseph Pender:
Pinder, Joseph, schoolmaster. 8 May 1720/17 May 1720.
To Mrs. Margaret Kendall the money from the Indian corn which Martin Holt carried over the bay for me, and all the money she owes me upon her own account or of Mr. Dent[‘s]. Mrs. Kendall extrx.
Wit: Andrew Ross, Mary Collier, Katherine (#) Segar, Katherine Tidmarsh.
pg. 75 XXIII-R.

If John Segar is the son of Katherine or another Clay, judging from Christopher’s 1726 household, he would have had to been born 1726-1727, about the year that Thomas Clay was in Christopher’s household, as Christopher is said to have married Ann Hunt 10-Mar-1728/9 .

http://www.esva.net/ghotes/index.htm

There are several sites purporting Ann Hunt’s Hunt and Wilkins ancestry, two fairly prominent names among the early settlers of VA’s eastern shore.

Perhaps preliminary, but some interesting references to explore as you come across Northampton Co. records. It is also interesting to note several Segar families of the period across the bay in Middlesex Co., evidently descended from William Segar, one of 94 persons transported by Col. Richard Lee in 1664.

e-mails from Sue Eagle Sparkman and Kendall Sparkman and David Sparkman